Neither Timid Nor Tame
by WittyWallflower
Summary: Set immediately post-canon. Jupiter has to come to terms with the changes in her life and learn more about the universe at large.
1. Chapter 1

The city isn't great for star gazing so he packs up her telescope in fancy space packaging. She's still nervous about flying with it, considering what has happened, well, every single other time she has flown with him. Dangers untold and hardships unnumbered. He tells her to wear her boots on their date but when he spreads his wings he scoops her up in his arms. She obviously doesn't object. But she asks about it anyway. If he's doing the flying, why the boots?

"I can make the landing smoother on my own." He explains. Her eyes darted to the package strapped to his side to give his wings freedom. His eyes followed her. "I knew your majesty would be concerned."

She smiled, touched by the thoughtfulness. And aso amused.

"Why fly me at all then? You're the one who said I should practice with the boots." She asked, her smile arch and teasing.

His eyes scanned the sky so they wouldn't have to meet hers but his lips twitched a bit in that infuriatingly-hard-to-read way. Was it a tiny smirk? Was he amused? Was he bashful? She felt his shoulder shrug beneath her arm wound around his neck.

"Your majesty doesn't know the way." he said.

It sounded logical, sure, but there was really no reason she couldn't have followed him through the sky. He could easily outpace her but he wouldn't. Their flying dates involved a lot of catch-me-if-you-can, Caine chasing her through the air but she knew he held back out of caution. Keeping an eye on her, reading to plunge after her should she falter. Before she could inform him that she could handle a safe enough glide over the darkened suburbs, his voice rumbled through his chest, "Time to turn those boots on, your majesty" They had arrived.

Caine had faith enough in Jupiter's flight training (he had trained Her Majesty himself, after all) to drop her unceremoniously from his arms the moment her boots were activated. And not feel TOO treasonous for being amused by her startled yelp. She had learned well though. She only dropped a few yards before she gained control, using the momentum to swing in a tight circle behind him. When she came back around she attempted her best withering glare at him for the prank. It always sends the best of them running when a princess, space princess, has that really killing look. But he doesn't seem repentant and she can't blame him. Already a happy grin has crept up to replace her scowl.

It's a perfect night. Balmy and warm even with the sun down. They are circling idly above a cornfield and glancing down she notices an odd flattened clearing in a field of corn. Crop circles. It had taken her a moment to get her bearing but her eyes had adjusted to the darkness during the flight there until she could almost pick out the freckles on Caine's shoulders in the moonless night. Now she could just make out the dark bulk of Stinger's house, surrounded by hives, off at the edge of the field.

Jupiter snorted. So she didn't know the way, huh?

She regarded the clearing conveniently left by one of the eight or nine different people who had abducted her or attempted to abduct recently. An exaggeration she knew but was it really so far off the mark? Caine's thought process here wasn't a mystery at least. The crop circle would make an convenient if ironic place for stargazing. Smashed flat to the ground, it wouldn't be hard to level the tripod legs on the surface. And the corn that towered over her would block out what little ambient light there was from the house.

It was also the place Caine felt most secure on the planet. Jupiter may own it and all Keepers answer to her now, but mercenaries can slip through Aegis orbit artillery. And Earth had other threats to Jupiter. Having Stinger nearby let Caine relax his guard. Only fractionally, of course.

With a staying gesture her to Jupiter, Caine circled lower, scanning for hostiles. No trouble had been detected on the ground for weeks but there could be sleeper agents left lying in wait for centuries with an occasional recode. Detecting no threats from his vantage point in the air, he tucked in his wings and dropped quickly towards the ground. Jupiter didn't even have a chance to suck in a gasp at the abrupt fall before Caine wings had spread and snapped taught, cupping the air and slowing his speed so smoothly that his landing was as gentle as lover's kiss. How could a man made of so much raw muscle and power move with such grace?

Jupiter watch his shadow move through the night as he prowled the perimeter of the clearing, scenting the air and peering down darkened rows of crops. He raised a hand to wave her down when he completed his circuit. When she landed, the corn stalks beneath her boots rustling, he had already removed the telescope from its protective shroud and set the tripod upright on the ground. He stepped back as soon as he knew it was solidly upright. She would want to inspect it, of course. Fuss over it and make sure it hadn't taken any harm from the humid air or impact resistant polymer foam.

Jupiter moved in, hovering over her shiny baby, muttering in Russian as she reassured herself. It wasn't that she didn't trust Caine. Caine probaby valued her stuff only slightly less than he valued herself. Which was a helluva lot more than he valued most anything else, including himself. It was just that after everything that had happened, the telescope ironically felt like it grounded her to earth. It was an attachment to her earth life that never would have come to her if she had grown up an Abrasax. No need for telescopes in space.

Also, it was a connection to her father, in a way. She didn't have many of those and often wished she could coax more stories about him out of her mother. She wishes now that she could tell her mother everything that had happened. For a lot of reasons but especially so Aleksa could tell Jupiter what Max might have thought of everything out there.

When she turned back, confident in the safety of her instrument, she was beaming and Caine let the peace of the country night wash over him finally. He had stayed alert on the flight, attentive to his cargo and scanning the skies around them for threats. None would pass with the Aegis alert above but Caine would never lose the habit of being ready for action. Where before it was a matter of survival, now that readiness was even more important with Jupiter's safety in his hands.

But for now, Caine put it from his conscious thoughts and let his senses tune in to Jupiter. The sight of her bathed in starlight as his pupils widened to take in more light. Her hair fluttered slightly in the breeze and she tucked it back behind her ear. Her scent drifted to him on that wind, complex and unique. Tersies tended to smell more than most the gyre. No Regen or sonic showers meant scents lingered and mingled and filled up the planet's atmosphere until everything was permeated with a base scent of earth dirt and ocean salt. Jupiter was highlighted with notes of citrus and coffee and the spices that season the dishes of her Russian heritage. He had come to know the complexities of that scent well while tracking her.

It floated to him now on a background of the scent of corn stalks and evening dew. The night was quiet but his ears could pick out the hum of bees and chirp of crickets. He had done so much fighting in hostile environments and dead planets and the cold depths of space. The Earth was so warm and full of life. It was easy to see why Jupiter valued it, even if she hadn't experienced many other planets yet.

Caine unfolded the packaging he'd used on the telescope. The foam-like substance was slightly tacky, designed to stick when folded over on itself in layers, but rigid enough to form pockets where desired. It was common enough in cargo transport, easily formed into bags and boxes of various sizes, all resistant to impact as well as most known molds and bacteria. Now, unfolded to its full extent and settled upon the ground, it made an acceptable picnic blanket. Satisfied his queen would be protected from the damp chill of the ground and pokes from stray cornstalks, he offered Jupiter a hand to see her settled on it.

Jupiter tilted her chin, playing at her most regal as she sank to the mat in what she hoped was a graceful manner. Being ruler of the galaxy came in handy when she patted the spot beside her and Caine sat. She could tell he was hesitant to, but he had no reason to refuse. None that she would accept, that is. And none that he wanted to bring up. The difference in their station would get in the way someday. But for now, in the sheltered environs of Earth, it was easy to avoid thinking about the rest of the universe. Easy to pretend a Royal could love a Splice.

So Caine sat beside his Royal on a thin foam mat over the dirt on a quaint little backwater world and watched her peer through an antiquated tube of brass and glass to glimpse the most distant light of stars she probably owned. In time her naiveté would be dangerous. For now, she delighted in pointing her viewer at a star and asking him about it. It took a few minutes for the infonet to translate the Tersie names and coordinates. While they waited she would tell him about the origin stories of the constellations and the Greco-Roman myths associated with the names of stars and planets.

Finally Jupiter stumbled across a system she did in fact own as part of the holdings willed to her by Seraphi. The name Jupiter knew it by meant nothing to Caine, but when the infonet returned the name Zojonan, Caine recognized it instantly as a bustling system of business and commerce class planets. Jupiter was used to thinking of space as huge. There were so many stars in the sky, what are the odds that she'd pick one of hers? Better than she expected, apparently. Caine explained how certain parts of the 'verse were better for human populations, areas of lower background radiation and with younger suns, so the skies in those quadrants could get crowded. He didn't mention that it was better business sense to keep Harvest planets close to refineries and commerce centers. Cuts down on transport costs and the risk of piracy.

Jupiter frowned, overwhelmed once again by the implications of everything she had experienced and everything she now owned. So many lives in her control. So many of them listed as little more than cattle waiting for a profitable slaughter. She shuddered, never willing to lose her revulsion at the ways of the greater galaxy.

A warm arm slipped around her shoulder; a broad palm slid down her arm, smoothing over her goosebumps. With a sigh, she melted against him, letting him pull her close and comfort her. Jupiter sat back against Caine's chest and felt his nose in her hair. She let the contentment of the moment, of being in Caine's arms with no assassination or kidnapping attempts to pull them apart, soothe her fears for a moment.

She felt Caine's chest swell beneath him as he took a breath to speak. He hesitated and she knew he was grappling internally, unsure if he should say something she might not want to hear. Jupiter didn't want to hear it, she was sure. It was bound to be about things she didn't want to deal with, things she wasn't equipped to deal with. Things she knew she had to face regardless.

"Your majesty owns a good bit of the sky visible from Earth."

She shifted against him, straightening and holding herself tense. . The knowledge didn't sit well with her. It was one thing to know you own entire solar systems. It was quite another to look at them shining out of the black at her.

"We could visit them, if you wish." Caine's voice was a deep rumble she felt against her spine. "You majesty may enjoy shopping at the Helix."

Jupiter made an inquiring noise, not ready to admit her curiosity, nor ready to dive in to everything that life would bring. But she didn't like not knowing either.

Caine settled her back against him and told her about the planets of the Zojonan star. The Helix was an artificial ring built around the fifth planet. She finally relaxed her body against his as he explained the fifth planet was too tectonically unstable for the surface to be settled. It was mostly volcanic. But habitats in low orbit could use some space technology the translator couldn't sort out to tap the geothermal energy and heat. When Caine finished a rundown of the shops the fancy space mall had, selling everything from space fruit to space underwear, from guns to warships, he fell quiet so he wasn't pushing her.

The silence stretched but didn't oppress. Jupiter kept her eyes trained to the stars overhead. Caine kept his focus on the woman in his arms. Finally she drew a heavy breath that ended in a sigh.

"I'm not ready yet."

Her voice was so quiet and soft but full of emotion. Fear of what was out there, insecurity at her ability to face it, embarrassment at her own perceived weakness. And regret that she wasn't strong enough to take on the whole damn galaxy right this instant.

He didn't say anything and she was glad for that. Instead he pressed his lips to the top of her head and drew in her scent. His wings rustled behind him, stretching until they wrapped around her on each side, bringing the world in so it contained no more than the two of them. But he left their heads uncovered so she could still look up and see the stars.

For all her fears of the unknown, Jupiter Jones would never stop looking up and dreaming.


	2. Chapter 2

Two months later, two months of cleaning the bathrooms of Chicago's elite. Two months of evening meals with her family where she was so grateful for their safety (and ignorance of all that had happened) that the usual noisy squabbling only made her smile fondly. and after dinner, nights spent stargazing with Caine on rooftops. It was on another such a night two month later when he shattered the peaceful little bubble she'd been in since returning home.

There were communiques from all corners of space, apparently, regarding her inheritance from Seraphi. The names and planets would mean nothing to her so he didn't bother to list them all. She was silent for a moment as she sat next to Caine with her head on his shoulder, not wanting the quiet to end. She had always known she couldn't just run home and bury her head in the sand. If Entitlement was a big enough deal to make multiple people try to kill her, it wouldn't just go away because she didn't want to deal with it. She was a little surprised she'd been left in peace as long as she had.

"So why now?" was all she said, staring out into the dark night.

"The messages have been coming since you became Entitled and claimed your estate. A few were routed through the Aegis as the only ship in orbit. Captain Tsing is the one that let Stinger know when he contacted her to see when we are due at Legion headquarters. With no instructions left for how to contact you, most were routed to Seraphi's alcazars including the one here."

"Here? On earth?" She lifted her head and turned to look at him.

He nodded. "Alcazars are a sign of wealth. Entitled at the First Order such as the Abrasax family tend to put one in each system they own to stake their claim. When you live for millions of years, there's plenty of time to spend a few centuries living in each one."

"Wait, so there is a palace like Kalique's somewhere on this planet just sitting there since Seraphi died?"

"Funds are usually left to maintain estates for the heirs or potential recurrences." he explained. "It costs practically nothing on underdeveloped planets, so a lot of royals have estates even on Harvest planets. Some are vacation homes or safe houses, most are just displays of wealth and power, as I said. I doubt the one on Earth is anything like Kalique's but others off-world will undoubtedly be elaborate as is fitting for a Royal."

"But the one here is probably still ridiculously ritzy, at least by Earth standards, right?"

He agreed with another nod.

So Jupiter not only owned a fabulous mansion on Earth but owned several even more elaborate ones in different galaxies. She couldn't really process that right now.

"So what do we do about the messages?" she sighed, focusing on the issue. "Call them back on Stinger's space phone?"

"Stinger's equipment is barely functional. Been sitting in the dust too long. Aegis ships have the best communication systems we have access to. " Caine had suspected she wouldn't like the idea of returning to Captain Tsing's ship in orbit and the tension in her small body now confirmed that. She wasn't ready to deal with space again yet. The black must seem so vast to someone with only a tiny city like Chicago to their life experience. "Or your new alcazar will have everything you need, top of the line, should Your Majesty wish to visit it."

She sighed once more and lay her head on his shoulder again. He was dancing around her displeasure. As if she were… exactly what she now was: a Queen. Still, it was a decent compromise.

Caine felt the movement as her head nodded in acquiescence. He felt warm with pride at her fortitude and curled a wing around her back, holding her close and protecting her from the night air. He'd expected her to give up and run away screaming about half a dozen different times just on the first day they had met. But this was no ordinary Tersie. This was Jupiter Jones and she had not yet begun to fight.

"I'll have Captain Tsing make the calls" his voice was a deep approving rumble and he pressed his lips into her hair.

* * *

The sheave delivered to her by Tsing when the Captain made her usual report to Jupiter over Sunday brunch at the Apini farmhouse required her seal to decrypt the communication. Jupe wondered how long it would be before sealing a sheave no longer reminded her of Balem almost convincing her to sign an entire population away. But this sheave was simply a recorded holo message from Kalique. The Aegis has sent inquiries to Kalique's retinue through the infonet but Her Ladyship had decide to respond herself, 'in person' so to speak. The elegantly gorgeous woman appeared before her. Already Jupiter was starting to forget the fine lines and gray in the face she had first met.

"Maledictes has informed me of your request." The holographic figure appeared to be walking, though the image did not move around the room Jupiter was in. Apparently the matter was worth interrupting a stroll, but not so important as to actually stop it. Kalique's eye's drifted slightly 'off camera' and Jupe had a feeling the owl-looking Splice was, if not actually operating the holo-camera, hovering only just outside its range. "Of course you must have your alcazar. This sheave will contain the location of my mother's home and all the necessary codes to access the shields and cloaks. Through official channels it could take ages to get the information from Balem's estate with the current chaos it is in."

Holo-Kalique beamed, serene and beatific as Jupiter remembered her being after she emerged from the horrifying fountain of youth. She seemed entirely unconcerned that said chaos was caused by her brother's untimely death.

"Earth was a favorite of my mother's planets, Jupiter. She considered it one of the most rare and beautiful of all. And my mother lived nearly 100 millennia. She saw vast untold numbers of worlds that even I couldn't begin to approach yet." There was a pause and Holo-Kalique's face seemed almost sad for a second. "In a way, its not terribly surprising my mother's recurrence would come from the world she loved so much. She was a true force of nature. If anyone could direct the fates in such a way, i dare say it was her."

Her voice had a thread of wistfulness in those words. But now her face brightened and she seemed to shake off a melancholia. Jupiter has to wonder which part had been excellent acting: the pensive moment, or the cheery smile she pasted on after it. Kalique's faintly wavering holo-image continued, back to charm and wit.

"I am most excited for you, my dear. Seraphi's alcazar on her most treasured planet is bound to be incomparable. My mother and I didn't always agree but i had complete respect for her taste. You won't be disappointed. Farewell, Jupiter, you must send a wave soon to let me know how you found it. Oh, and do consider purchasing a new steward if none of Mother's remain. You might find doors open more readily to you when its not the Aegis doing the knocking."

Kalique signed off with a smile that seemed teasing and playful but the comment did seem intent on being helpful. It made sense to Jupiter at least. She liked Tsing and the crew; she wouldn't be alive without their help. But cops, even space cops, made people, even space people, nervous. Everyone had their secrets to hide, a fact she knew well herself. While potentially illegal, those secrets didn't necessarily mean harm to Jupiter or to Earth.

Thumbing the sheave, she poked around until she managed to access the information as a map. The holo-image hovered half a meter above the screen of the sheave and depicted the Earth in its pale blue glory. The image shifted, zooming in through clouds so Jupiter could recognize the continents. Closer and closer to the surface the image moved, centering itself over Europe and Northern Africa as it zoomed in at an increasing rate. Her eye couldn't quite follow it as the real world looked different from the maps she had studied in school with their drawn borders and convenient labels. So when it the map finally halted above an island, Jupiter wasn't sure exactly where it was. The last thing she had recognized was the unmistakable boot shape of Italy zipping by. Somewhere in the Mediterranean then.

A smile snuck across her lips. Oh yeah, this was totally going to be worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

Jupiter was in pain. She didn't say it, tried not to show it, but Caine could tell. It was the ears. A nearly suppressed groan, a hissing intake of breath just below the normal human auditory range, they gave her away. His ears twitched each time though and he wondered at the cause of it. Jupiter went about her day with apparently unconcern, not aware that Caine was watching her even more intently than usual.

She was packing for their journey, throwing garments carelessly into a suitcase borrowed from her aunt Irina (with a well constructed lie about Katherine hiring Jupiter to work the Dunlevy family annual yacht trip). Really, she'd probably wear borrowed Aegis gear half the time and not touch most of this stuff but it gave her something to do with herself during these last few hours before she confronted the universe again. Jupe's constant shadow was leaning one hip against a dresser, arms folded across his chest as he listened her discuss their travel itinerary.

She moved stiffly at times, he noted, but didn't appear to be favoring any injured limbs.

"Things feel like they JUST got back to normal, i don't want to go and get swept up in… that life again. But Kalique insists I check this place out. And besides, we _do_ need to use the space phone." Jupiter chattered as she returned to the small shared closet, intent on justifying the trip to herself. If she let herself look forward to it instead of dreading it, it started to feel a bit too much like a luxury vacation. Which just didn't feel right without bringing at least her mom and Nino, but how was she supposedly to explain away a vacation to a gorgeous empty mansion entirely at Jupiter's disposal?

"The island is supposed to be paradise apparently. And I have always wanted to see the Mediterranean." She chewed her lip as she returned with several garments she dumped on the bed. It occurred to her how silly that must seem to a guy who has seen a dozen galaxies and fought spaces battles above more worlds than Sol's system could contain. Earth was just an insignificant little planet. Worth a lot of money, sure, but just another ball of rock full of human cattle and one body of water on it was much the same as the next.

To hide her embarrassment she ducked her head, letting her hair fall forward to screen her face, and focused on very precisely folding the bathing suit she had dug out of the depths of the closet she shared with her mother. It wasn't much, a modest tankini; Jupiter hadn't been in anything deeper than a bathtub since she was a teen. Once she'd started working, summer day trips to the beach became a thing of the past.

When she bent to place the bathing suit on top of the jumbled wad of clothing that had preceded it into the suitcase a sharp stab of pain darted through her. It surprised a gasp from her and her hands flew to her abdomen, as if trying to push the pain away physically. If she wasn't already bent at the waist, she would have doubled over.

Caine as at her side so quickly she didn't see him move.

"Your Majesty?" His brow was furrow with concern, his body coiled with tension. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing." her voice stuttered and stopped when his large hand slid over her own resting on her stomach, a warm solid weight but surprisingly gentle too. His large hands overlapped her small ones and his fingertips gently probed her side, palpating for irregularities, trying to locate the source of her misery. When her fingers shifted unconsciously, his hands followed them down to knead her lower stomach.

"It isn't nothing. You're injured. You've been in pain all day. Why didn't you tell me?" His hands left her body then and Caine tilted her chin up, brushing her hair back so he could study her face for symptoms. Her pupils weren't blown. Definitely not drugs then, she was perfectly lucid. If she had injured herself flying he would have noticed before now. Could it be poison? Something slow-acting slipped to her at Jupiter Refinery? Hell, all three Abrasax Primaries had access to her long enough to do just about anything to her.

"Because its nothing, I'm fine, I swear." she vowed, staring up at him. The way his brows drew together and his jaw tensed, the way his eyes looked worried and almost sad even despite one eyes flashing a different color and she knew crazy space eyeball technology was scanning her to make sure she spoke the truth.

And she was fine... mostly. Her heart-rate had picked up a little, sure, and she felt kinda warm. But that could have everything to do with Caine's big body standing so near her, both of his strong hands gentle on her. The way he was leaning down to look into her face, he towered over her and she felt surrounded by him. It was almost like being wrapped in his wings. This close she could catch the scent of him, not quite spicy and not quite musky, unique and unlike any other man. Her nostrils flared to take it in and her breath hitched. She wanted to bury her nose in the crook of his neck and inhale him until she was giddy.

Caine's ears twitched as he continued to study her sharply. She was shifting her weight as if in discomfort, her breathing was irregular, and her eyes had gone glassy. He'd seen enough symptoms for concern. Time to take matters into his own hands. Hitting the switch on his comm implant he alerted Stinger they needed an immediate pickup. Before Jupiter could question the call, Caine had scooped her up in his arms and was carrying her up the stairs and out the door.

Jupiter demanded to know what he was doing, where he was taking her.

"The medbay." He answered, curt and focused.

He marched with military precision down the porch stairs, out onto the street and into a blind side alley two houses down, carrying Jupiter as if she weighed no more than gossamer. She insisted all the while that this wasn't necessary but it was like talking to a tin soldier. She tried pleading that he at least let her go back for the suitcase she had packed. Caine didn't appear to find her things important now given a potential threat to her well-being. He ignored all protests and requests as he continued. At the end of the alley, well out of sight, was a previously agreed upon spot where they could be 'beamed up' as Jupiter called it without being observed by the locals. Stinger's cloaked ship was already waiting, evident only by the shimmer of the blue gravbeam in the air.

"Caine, stop! Put me down, damn it, I order you!" Jupiter's frustration peaked and she tried playing the 'Queen of the Earth' card. His stride faltered for a moment. Ha. She had him there.

But in the end he refused even that direct command, and his hands tightened briefly around her to keep her from attempting to squirm out of his arms. Caine avoided her glare by intently examining the beam, following it up to the cloaked ship, scanning the skies for any incoming fighter ships. The body she was pressed against practically vibrated with tension and readiness. Like an apex predator ready to pounce.

The comparison, the reminder of the differences in their nature, awed her for a moment. Pack species tended to be fiercely loyal and protective of their own, that much she knew. Caine's display of protectiveness marked his loyalty to her, loyalty he had given before she had become Entitled or procured his pardon. Knowing the deference towards the Entitled that was bred into every Splice in the 'verse, Caine ignoring an order was amazing. Especially an order given by Jupiter. His concern for her well-being came before everything else, even his instinctual wariness of disobeying her.

"I don't even have any shoes on!" She finished lamely. Clearly nothing she said was going to change anything but she was too stubborn to let the matter go without protest.

"Your Majesty can buy more shoes." Caine's rebuttal was blunt as he stepped into the gravbeam glow and they were lifted to the ship hovering above. it was parked low to avoid notice, and it took only seconds for them to rise above the nearby rooftops and inside the cloaking field.

Once aboard it was pointless to argue anymore, she was already there and likely wouldn't be allowed to leave until he was satisfied. She did demand to be put down though. His prompt obedience and "Of course, Your Majesty." contrasted with his refusal only moments ago on the ground. They both knew she was beaten, but he had the good grace not to make a point of it. Still, Caine put a hand on her elbow to hustle her into the medbay where Stinger waited with concern in the lines of his face despite the small sincere smile he gave her as he bowed a greeting. She had managed to get him to stop kneeling before her; she had confidence it wouldn't be long before she wore him down to just a polite nod.

"Your Majesty." He came to her side, detaching her from Caine and gently bullying her into lying down on the medbay diagnosis table. "What is it? You are unwell?"

"I'm fine!" She insisted. Or tried to.

Caine cut her off with a list of the symptoms he had noticed, with estimated intensity and duration. She didn't even remember rubbing at the ache in her lower back this morning but he had noticed and remembered. Jupiter was surprised how much he had seen.

Stinger asked her a few questions as he poked and prodded her with various diagnostic devices she didn't recognize and wouldn't understand if they were explained to her. What had she eaten? Where had she gone? Was she exposed to anyone ill? Did anyone touch her or give anything to her? Were there any unique Earth pain rituals she observed? Has she done any especially vigorous exercise or sexual activities recently? Jupiter was starting to turn red.

This was becoming a helluva lot of fuss just because she hadn't wanted to admit she had time-of-the-month cramps.

"I can see nothing wrong with Her Majesty." Stinger reported to Caine when the tests were finished and intrusive questions asked. "No toxins or drugs in her system. No damage to bone, tendon, or internal organs. No outside interference to neural signals. There is some slight hormonal fluctuations, but well within human standards, and some muscle stress. No doubt due to all the excitement Your Majesty has had lately." He told her, his slight smile reassuring and almost fatherly.

Caine started to question if her DNA had been tested for signs of genetic tampering when Jupiter finally burst out:

"Oh for fuck's sake, its just PMS!" She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to look dignified in her reclining position but she really couldn't meet the eye of either of them. "Its not a big deal, it happens every month. " She grumbled.

The two men traded a glance as the implications sank in the room grew silent. Stinger stood and stepped away. Jupiter figured she had embarrassed all three of them but Caine came and crouched beside her. He was so tall that even lying on the high exam table, she could look right into his eyes. When she finally steeled herself to meet his eyes, that is. The expression in them was contrite, and relieved. If she had known what to look for she might have seen a bit of admiration and empathy there was well.

He'd been wounded many times as a soldier, his body was dappled with the scars to prove it. No matter how gruesome the injury had been, the pain had always been temporary, an inconvenience mostly suppressed by the hot surge of adrenaline in battle until the cooling anesthetic of the healing spray could be applied. It awed him to think of this tiny woman simply powering through such agony for days at a time, every month for years now and decades more to come. Facing the regular torment with silent endurance and a grumpy shrug.

"Forgive us, Your Majesty." He spoke quietly to set her at ease; his tone was deferential with hidden wells of newfound respect. "On most developed planets medical technology exists to remove most of those physical discomforts. Especially among Entitled woman. Its... uncommon for a woman to live like this." To _suffer_ like this, he almost said. Female Splices aren't bred to reproduce and so have no menses and even the women in the lowest classes of human society have access to the treatments through population control protocols. Caine had never thought about what it might be like on primitive worlds.

"See now, why can't they share THAT technology?" Jupiter made a weak joke because she wasn't sure what to make of the new light in Caine's eyes. "Its not made from people, is it?"

His lips twitched as he shook his head.

Stinger returned then, a device that looked an awful lot like a ray gun from a cheap scifi movie in his hands. Caine rose to his feet again, stepping back to make room so the older man could return to Jupiter's side.

"As I said, sharing has never been a strong suit of your species, Your Majesty. But," Stinger spoke, brandishing the 'gun', "there are many privileges of Entitlement."

Stinger pressed the nozzle of the slightly sinister looking instrument to her forearm. Before she had time to ask if it was going to hurt, he had lifted it away again. Well, that was way better than getting a shot from a needle. Jupiter drew a finger over the injection site, marveling that there was no tenderness or blood. Maybe she should get a flu while she was here.

"That should make you comfortable for the time being." Stinger said as he set the instrument down. "There are more permanent procedures Your Majesty might consider but I'd recommend the Aegis medic for that. Soldiers aren't taught much beyond patching bullet holes and plasma burns, I picked up more nursing Kiza. I took the liberty of adding a conception preventative and the standard cocktail of vaccinations for…. transmissibles." Stinger groped for the least offensive term for sexual illnesses he had in his soldier's vocabulary as he helped Jupiter to sit up.

Space medicine was impressive, that's for sure. The stabbing pain in her gut had already dulled to only a slight throb, barely worse than a hunger pang. Her breasts felt less swollen and tender too which surprised her. As did the fact that the button on her jeans wasn't digging into her stomach quite as much as her bloat subsided, and that craving (or rather burning, insatiable, all-consuming _need_ ) for chocolate covered pretzels was actually starting to wane for the first time in 3 days. Only a little bit but clearly the injection was a lot more than a fancy space pain-killer. Jupiter couldn't bring herself to ask the details and frankly wasn't interested in prolonging the awkwardness by casually discussing her new form of birth control with these guys.

So she took charge, suggesting they get underway. Seraphi's estate may be on the other side of the planet but that would take no time at all in a _freakin' spaceship_. Stinger needed a chance to go over the alcazar for threats before Caine escorted Her Majesty in. Balem could have done placed any number of traps while the Earth was under his control. So Jupiter would have to cool her heels aboard the cloaked ship for an hour.

Still beat a 16 hour transAtlantic flight. Not that she would know from personal experience but she didn't feel much temptation to fly the normal Earth way to form a basis for comparison.

Jupiter tried to muster up some of her lost dignity as she hopped off the table, ready to charge to the bridge, but it was undermined by the slap of her bare feet against the deck. "If you'll excuse me, I need to find some boots." She gave Caine a pointed glare as she swept out of the room.

Caine looked at Stinger in confusion. "What?"


	4. Chapter 4

In her line of work she had been exposed to the trappings of wealth, able only to admire them as she cleaned around them. She'd dreamed of wearing the expensive designer dresses and the jewels with enough sparkle to blind you. The elaborate gowns she had worn on her adventures had outclassed anything she'd seen on Earth in magnificence and grandeur. But they hadn't felt right. She knew she looked killer in them, and nothing was too grand for a space empress. But she was still Jupiter Jones, and evidently Jupiter Jones was not that into the elaborate trappings of wealth she had once envied. (Actually, it was nice to find it out it wasn't her style without having to actually spend the money on a designer label. Secondhand Dior from six seasons ago was beyond her budget. Now she didn't have to waste the pay on something she wouldn't even enjoy wearing.)

This was even more evident when she saw Seraphi's Alcazar in the Mediterranean. It was built upon a small island. Well, small was relative. It was small compared to, say, Manhattan. or Santorini. But it was large compared to the grounds of the mansions her family occasionally worked between cleaning expensive high-rise penthouses. At the base of the island the sea had worn graceful arches into the rock. The surface was shielded so it appeared to be covered in nothing more than sparse vegetation until the sigil on her forearm was presented to the ship's scanner and the code transmitted. Jupiter's breath caught at the sight that was unveiled to her. The estate was larger than it seemed possible given the size of the island. Indeed, large platforms jutted out over the sea where the rock stopped.

The house had been continually modernized and kept in readiness, as were all of Seraphi's former estates. Since her death, lacking specific directions as to architecture and decor the house had been modeled after a variety of Earth styles. It was a hodgepodge of architectural styles and would have seemed completely absurd if she hadn't seen what passed for good taste among the Abrasax siblings.

The shady arched balconies of the buildings were so deep she couldn't see beyond the shadows there but grand curving staircases led down to a pool that ran the length of the main house, the water so blue it almost made her eyes hurt. Beyond, the area was scattered with gazebos and pergolas draped with lush and sometimes alien looking plants. One of the platforms perched precariously over thin air (or so it seemed... with space technology it was probably the most stable and solid place on the entire planet) was designated as a landing pad where their small craft touched down. It was like nothing Jupiter had ever seen. But the whitewashed walls and pops of blue gave it an air that didn't seem _entirely_ out of place in the balmy Mediterranean.

A stately figure glided up to greet them. An android. Female in appearance, by Earth's rigid gender norms anyway, 'her' skin was a lustrous mother-of-pearl color, the face the pearl that stood out a milky white. The metal components visible around the face plate were a deep metallic purple that was repeatedly in the simple but elegant gown the mechanical person wore. She was far more decorative than Advocate Bob or Lt Chatterjee, Jupiter observed. But then a public servant or space cop didn't have much need of superfluous aesthetic value.

The android curtsied deeply before Jupiter and her odd entourage.

"Your Majesty. This one is pleased to welcome you home." The voice was melodious, the expression pleasant but restrained.

"Hello." Home was still Chicago, but Jupiter couldn't think about that right now. She was unsure how to proceed. "Good to be here."

There was a beat while neither spoke. Jupiter knew more was expected of her but she really couldn't think of a thing to say. Luckily the android's training, or programming maybe, had not forgotten how to handle a Royal visit.

"The main rooms have been prepared for your arrival, Your Majesty. Lady Kalique's majordomo holo'd to inform this one of Your Majesty's interest in reopening the alcazar." The pretty android's gears whirred and shifted behind it's expression, betraying an uncertainty Jupiter somehow knew couldn't be programmed in. "We awaited word from your steward for instructions but only your security officers contacted us."

"Yeah, I... haven't gotten around to hiring anyone yet. This is all pretty new to me..." Jupiter paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, what was your name?

The android's double blink was the only outward sign of being taken aback but it took an encouraging nod from Jupiter before it answered.

"This one has been designated Remmae, Your Majesty"

The android curtsied again, deep and slow and smooth, upon introducing herself. Robot knees must be nice; Jupiter doubted human limbs could manage the motion with such grace.

"Nice to meet you. Look, I don't really know much about this Entitled stuff, so go easy on me to start." If there was any place where Jupiter shouldn't have to play pretend, it was in 'her' own home on her own planet. Damned if she was going to change who she was for a vacation. It has been exhausting trying to pretend that she wasn't completely out of her element, a hopelessly ignorant Tersie who needed the Aegis to hold her hand and keep her alive.

She wasn't looking forward to returning to that. She'd almost rather keep cleaning toilets.

The android's mechanisms whirred and shifted. This petite human before her was vastly different from Seraphi, according to Remmae's memory files. The files hadn't been purged, there was really no cause. As an Abrasax order, Remmae was kitted out with the maximum data storage capacity for a high-end assistance android. But the files had been archived a century after Seraphi's death, unused information tucked away to optimize processor speed. No matter, they clearly wouldn't be much use in dealing with Her Majesty. One could only fall back on their programming and Remmae's was top notch. Actually, it was rather reassuring to trust in pure professionalism. After all, who could object to that?

"You'll wish to see your chambers, no doubt." Remmae turned aside to allow Jupiter to proceed her towards the alcazar. "Service bots will deliver your belongings there shortly. I've had refreshments laid out there should you wish to take a rest, or I can have a meal prepared for the formal dining room..."

Even if Jupiter felt like making any sorts of decision, she still would not have answered the query. She had approached the imposing double doors of the residence. They were painted a bright blue but she could see the space tech set into its surface, making it glint occasionally as it reflected the light. Were they even made of wood? Doubtful.

Some of that fancy space tech must have sensed her presence somehow because both doors swung upon as she neared, not even a whisper or whir to whatever mechanism accomplished that. She almost turned towards the android to ask about it but she noticed the blue tattoo on her forearm glowing and twirling slightly. Her very own Open Sesame, Jupiter guessed. That was kinda cool.

The inside was as stately as expected. The floor was inlaid with a pattern of slate and a milky marble, on it sat a small fountain flanked by a double staircase, the steps alternating the dark and light stones. It made Jupiter think of piano keys for an irreverent moment. The obligatory table-with-a-thing that seemed to grace the entryway of every upper class home was there too. Jupiter couldn't begin to guess if the alien-looking thing was functional or just decorative, but she'd bet dollars to donuts that it was a pain in the ass to dust and polish.

The smell of plants drew her further in, the android attendant lost to mind as she gawked around what she could not believe was now hers. Sure, she knew that as Abrasax she was rich as sin and she had certainly been exposed to some high luxury on her adventures. But seeing the actual, tangible evidence of that wealth before her, on her planet, at her control. That was a very different sensation. The main corridor was lined with a rainbow of fern-like plants. Jupiter spotted actual Earth ferns among them. At least, she assumed the familiar green ones were originally from Earth. But they didn't look that different from the others that were proudly russet, purple, soft yellow and a number of other shades that had been arranged for each plant to complement the hue of the one next to it.

The plants seemed to be the main source of color in the place. The walls were pristinely whitewashed, broken only occasionally by more slate or dark wood. Where one might expect wall art to hang, one found there was not much of a wall, rather there were endless arches making the entire layout open and airy. And a little weird. A few more staircases and it would feel like an Escher drawing, she mused to herself. Someone definitely had a fetish for arches. She suspected Remmae, being the only person she had seen around the place so far. Unless House Abrasax kept an architect on payroll to redo a dead woman's house.

She suppressed a shiver at that thought. She was _not_ Seraphi Abrasax, so why did she feel a little like a ghost walking these halls? The bare walls and polished stone floor didn't help the place feel any less empty and imposing. She just got here, how could she already be homesick for the crowded noisy Bolotnikov household?


	5. Chapter 5

Her chambers turned out to be an entire wing of the building. The immense main room they entered was split into different areas for entertaining or for eating; one alcove even contained a desk with a large pile of sheaves on it. Double doors led to an opulent sleeping chamber with a bed the size of a Buick. The bathing room was so big it rivaled the entire ground floor of Uncle Vassily's house for square footage. No less than two sizable sunken tubs from a material that seemed strong and solid as marble but was warm to the touch and soft like velvet. She wondered how hard it was to scrub clean. Overhead gems glittered in the ceiling like a sky full of stars, but if it was modeled after a real sky, its was one far away. She didnt recognize any constellations.

After being shown around the suite, Jupiter begged off a tour of the rest of the estate.

They tucked into the food laid out for them. Lacking specific instructions, the repast comprised a mix of the late Seraphi's favorite delicacies and an assortment of Earth dishes. Not feeling particularly bold at the moment, Jupiter opted to start with what she recognized as safe and tasty. As she stood beside the banquet table (big enough to sit 20 people at least but still dwarfed in the large room) spooning the flesh from a kiwi fruit, she watched her retinue lay into everything else.

Captain TSing had accompanied them, taking a smaller ship down with a detachment of her crew to meet on the island's landing pad. She had stated an Entitled traveling retinue generally contained a large number of VIPs. It was considered an honor to receive not only the Entitled but the high status figures they brought with them and it can be considered an insult not to present one's host with esteemed visitors. As Aegis captain, Tsing ranked below an Entitled but was still considered a sufficiently prestigious guest. Not that such etiquette applied to her own estates, Tsing assured her, but it would be useful for Jupiter to get comfortable with the way things are done. The phalanx of Aegis troops had escorted them the short walk from their ship peeling off inside to take up guard stations along the hall.

The captain strode without hurry but with evident purpose to steaming carafe and poured herself a mug of a rich brown liquid that looked so much like coffee Jupiter was drawn to it. She waved Caine towards the food to eat while she joined the Captain.

" _Klah_ , Your Majesty?" Tsing offered and poured into the mug Jupiter snatched up; soon the scent of cinnamon wafted up.

Jupiter buried her face in the mug eagerly and took a huge gulp. Its lucky for her it was palatable and not alien-tasting or tongue-scorching, but it was an instinctive reaction to the prospect of caffeine. She had no idea if space coffee had stimulants but at least it tasted familiar enough to fool her body. It reminded her of a Starbucks order more than anything else, a mingling of coffee and chocolate with a faint cinnamon aftertaste. She felts a tiny buzz begin to sing in her body. If it wasn't caffeine it was close enough. Okay, this she could get used to.

After dispatching two full plates and filling two pockets with fruit, Caine returned to her side to excuse himself.

"Your Majesty, I must check the security perimeter and layout of the buildings." He turned just as Stinger entered the room, heading for them. The timing was so flawless they must have been in contact via their comm implants. "Stinger will take my guard post but i will be check in shortly."

They conferred for a moment before Caine left and Stinger sketched a bow to Jupiter. She admittedly tuned out while he gave a rundown of the security arrangements Caine was off to inspect. It was more for Tsing's benefit anyway, so she would know where her people were stationed. This place was probably the safest on the planet from any threats. They wouldn't have allowed Jupiter to come otherwise.

Her "Thank you, Stinger" in response was all the dismissal he needed to make a beeline for a platter full of baklava on the banquet table. Jupiter hadn't noticed the sticky delicacy before and made a mental note to grab a piece before it was all gone. But the table was soon deserted. When Tsing finished her space-coffee and set down her mug, the Aegis crew rose to their feet, straightening their uniforms and brushing crumbs from their lap. They fell into ranks and left the room for training maneuvers.

Jupiter took a seat besides Stinger and sipped her drink slowly. It hadn't been 2 hours since she had been in her house back in Chicago, packing. She needed a moment to let her brain catch up and she was glad her companion seemed to sense this. At least he didn't try to press conversation or stand on ceremony. Stinger ate much like Caine had, with tidy efficiency. Large bites chewed quickly and silently so the food seemed to disappear from the plate in the space of a blink.

She was beginning to marvel at how much food the man could put away when the drowsy local heat, half a dozen space pastries she had finally ventured to try, and all the upheavals her life had thrown at her lately caught up with her all at once. She yawned mightily, in a not at all ladylike manner. But if she was a queen she should be afforded the luxury of taking a nap when she chose. So she didn't seek permission or announce her intentions when she crossed to the bedroom.

The mattress was unsurprisingly luxurious, molding perfectly to her tired body. Caine had assured her after his initial inspection of the room that the fermionics of the bed were disabled until she chose to activate them. Jupiter was glad to know she wouldn't wake up to find herself hovering in midair. As her awareness faded out, she sensed the chamber presence draw a screen of silken fabrics across the room's windows. The light settled to a soft glow.

Jupiter awoke later, the room dim and warm. She checked her watch but had never set it to local time. She gave up trying to convert it to local time in her head but no wonder that nap had felt so refreshing. It was nearly 4AM back home. Here the sun was high in the sky but to her it felt like a brand new day.

Stinger was seated in the large room outside her sleeping chamber. There was a comfortable situated seating area across the room, but he'd dragged the chair from the desk near enough to her door to be within earshot. He was tapping at a sheave that he tossed aside when she joined him.

"Majesty." He stood and bowed. She didn't waste the effort of telling him he didn't need to rise for her. Instead she crossed to the urn of not-coffee.

She felt pretty alert (does jet lag apply when you don't have to spend half a day on a plane?) but looking for a jolt of caffeine after waking was a habit. The urn was steaming faintly. Either the heat retention technology they had was amazing or a fresh pot had just been brewed. As she sipped the fragrant warmth, she noticed the table had been tended to as well. Platters had been refreshed and perishable remains removed. Stinger had a plate with a few dainties sitting near him and she wondered if he'd been eating for the past few hours.

Stinger drifted over and stood with his hands clasped behind his back like a soldier giving his report. Which she supposed he basically was. Stinger informed her that the estate had been fully secured from potential threats from without or within. She was now free to move about the grounds without needing a constant guard. Though they both knew Caine would be at her side every second he could be spared. For now he had taken advantage of Jupiter's nap to return to the Aegis ship for a few piece of equipment.

"Captain Tsing agreed to loan us a few spare shield generators and the like. The alcazar is quite well defended though. A few minor upgrades to the newest in warfare tech would make this place into a veritable fortress." Stinger said, his eyes gleaming. He was quite a step away from beekeeping now.

Jupiter offered a smile since he clearly approved, and really it was all for her benefit and safety. But it made her suppress a shudder, wondering what threats plagued Seraphi's life before one in the form of her own son had ended it. Stinger excused himself after he finished giving her a rundown of where security teams would be stationed and how to summon anyone by addressing the chamber presence.

She looked around the room, taking in the fine details she hadn't noticed before, But her eyes eventually fell on the desk. Even more sheaves had been added to the stacks during her nap. Even though she knew better, and knew that putting it off would only make the piles get bigger and more intimidating, she turned her back on them and left the room. Jupiter decided that until someone actually presented one of them to her personally, she wasn't going to go looking for stress by assuming they were her problems to deal with. She knew it wouldn't last long but a few more hours of denial, of not having the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders didn't seem like too much to ask.

She decided to head outdoors for some fresh air and sunshine. But her clothes were wrinkled and uncomfortable from being slept in, and her borrowed Aegis boots were making her feet sweat in this warmer climate. So she took herself on another tour of Seraphi's closet. Her suitcase full of clothes sat on her bed back in Chicago. Well, she had been right about not wearing any of it on this trip. Aegis gear was great and all, but now that she was here, she wanted to make the most of this little trip. The Mediterranean sun called to her, tempting her to bask, and she remembered the pool. Jupiter really missed that sad little tankini now.

Seraphi's wardrobe was more understated than Jupiter expected but that wasn't really saying much. After the glitz and grandeur she had seem from Titus and Kalique, she would have been surprised by any garment that didn't sparkle or strobe or move on its own. There had to be a space equivalent of a bathing suit in here somewhere.

She had a suspicion the garments she finally chose were actually pieces of space lingerie. But they covered the important bits, seemed to be of a sturdy enough material to handle a swim, and wouldn't leave freaky tan lines. She topped them with a gauzy, sheer, thin-as-a-whisper 'dress' that so short it barely deserved the name, concealed absolutely nothing, and that Jupiter was certain it was NOT a fancy piece of alien lingerie. How many millennia did a person have to live before they stopped bothering with modesty, she wondered.

She left Seraphi's chambers, well, her own chambers now, and headed through the palace, trying to remember her way out. In the corridor she encountered the android servant who was clearly well trained, or programmed, whatever. It seemed simply to be moving about her business, pace sedate but not hesitant. But Jupiter could tell it was delicately hovering, waiting to be of assistance to her new mistress while refraining from interrupting her rest and solitude.

Remmae curtsied deeply and Jupe almost snorted in amusement to see the old fashioned obeisance again when she remembered just old Seraphi had been. The android in front of her had likely seen many more decades than even the oldest members of her family. Or longer. Who know how long a robot could run with regular maintenance? Remmae's eyes whirled subtly as it assessed the Queen, making shrewd calculations and a few educated guesses then offered before Jupiter could speak,

"If Your Majesty wishes to enjoy the local sun, may I suggest the western balcony? I believe you may find the breeze there most refreshing. The sunsets are considered to be quite spectacular as well. If you should wish to take a late meal on the balcony, I could have a table arranged to dine upon." it hesitated now, hoping this strange new Entitled wouldn't find it presumptuous for making suggestions. It was only Remmae's job after all, seeing to the alcazar and the comfort of its mistress.

"Sure, sounds great. The others will probably join me though. It wont be too much work to set up a meal for so many?" Jupiter asked.

"Not at all, Your Majesty. I shall make the arrangements." The android directed Jupiter to the western balcony and curtsied low, watching its mistress go.

Remmae didn't bother to balk at such an assemblage for a formal meal, or mention the generous but simple dinner intended to be served in the servant's wing later. It didn't matter whether the guests sitting at the beautifully appointed table were to be Royals or Splices. Remmae knew just when to serve the first course so that the sunset would be in full color just as their appetites would be slaked and their minds able to focus on the atmospheric splendor rather than the food. The peranji fruit trifle in mind for a final dessert course would look delectable in the last ochre light of day and the opalescent Orelliean champagne served just as darkness fell would glow gently, glimmering to reflect the light of the first stars. It would be perfection. The android was practically buzzing with anticipation. Finally, her work could be appreciated by someone other than a rather staid chamber presence. Oh, this was exciting.


	6. Chapter 6

Jupiter had opened the dinner invitation to her entire entourage only to find herself at dinner for two. Tsing had to return to her own ship and Jupiter could respect her need to do her job. Turns out the lower ranking Aegis weren't exactly comfortable dining with Royalty without the ship's captain and diplomat present. Stinger had everyone he trusted triple-checking security protocols and excused himself to make a call back home to Kiza.

Not that she minded the alone time with Caine. They probably wouldn't get much of it when they finally had to leave Earth. But if she had known it was gonna be just the two of them, she might have suggested a smaller feast. And she definitely would have felt guilty for putting Remmae to all the work of setting up a table and chairs on the balcony when they could have easily eaten inside.

But the meal was so far beyond Jupiter's imagining that she couldn't regret it. Even the movies couldn't compare. The food was amazing even in its strangeness and the sky was a riot of color. When darkness fell, the alcazar seemed to glow. It was so subtle that she almost didn't notice until she realized it was full dark yet she had no trouble seeing the table before her. Tiny hovering lights added to the illumination but she had no idea how they worked or even what they looked like because they seemed designed to wink out when you looked directly at them. So the glare didn't blind you when you looked away into the darkness again, Caine explained when he saw her craning her neck around trying to catch sight of one while it was still aglow.

So her steps didn't falter when she and Caine drifted away from the table to the edge of the enormous balcony. Jupiter perched herself on the wide balustrade and looked out at the view. As she took in the gleam of the stars and the susurration of the ocean, Caine came to stand beside her. Close, but not close enough. She bit her lip and gave him a small smile of mischief as she reached out, snagging hold of one of the buckles on his uniform, using it to draw him closer. Slim arms slipped around his neck while gentle feathers wrapped around her back as Jupiter drew him down for a kiss.

Jupiter was feeling truly excellent the next morning. The nerves and anxiety of confronting Serpahi's alcazar were past, she could take in her surroundings and enjoy them at her own pace. She was queen of this little island (at least that was less intimidating to face right now than being queen of a grand space empire) and she didn't have to bow or scrape for anybody.

She didn't like having others bowing and scraping for her though. When Remmae turned up, hoping to be useful, Jupiter was decidedly casual in her address. But she did compliment the robot profusely on the lovely evening meal.

"The food was amazing. I really liked that sparkly orange flan stuff. Everything was seriously so beautiful and romantic. If everyone involved was from Earth, I would have assumed you were trying to help Caine pop The Question. That was a meal to propose to a girl over." Jupiter laughed because she was sure not even Katherine would receive a proposal in such an amazing setting.

It amused and bemused Jupiter how expressive the robot's face could be. Remmae had been looking modestly pleased by Jupiter's kind words, glowing in quiet pride. She probably hadn't received a compliment since Seraphi died and seemed gratified for the appreciation. But now her brow furrowed in confusion and consternation and shock when Jupiter implied she had purposely set up the most romantic meal on Earth for Jupiter and Caine.

"Certainly not, your majesty!" Remmae protest vehemently. "He is a Splice! I would never dream of insulting you by-"

She cut off abruptly as stormclouds began to gather on the Queen's face. The question had been rather nonchalant now that Remmae stopped to consider it; she would have expected anger if that's what the queen truly thought. "I-I had no thoughts of romance, truly. I thought you would enjoy the beauty of it. I simply… wished to display the alcazar at its best."

"So I would like it and decide to come back, maybe even live here." Jupiter guessed. What kind of programming allowed the subtle facial expressions to betray her well-intentioned servant? The confirmation was written across the synthetic face, along with a muted terror and worry over what Jupiter might do in retaliation for any offense given by the android.

"So you wouldn't be alone anymore." she finished on a whisper.

She held up a hand when the android tried to respond.

There was so many things Jupiter wanted to say. Things about the equality she believed all sentient beings deserved, whether they be human or Splice, alien or android. How relationships between the groups shouldn't be shunned. How people shouldn't be bought and sold and left to rot on a Tertiary planet, house-sitting for some spoiled Entitled even long after they died. She suddenly felt a kinship to this android whose entire existence was a glorified version of the housekeeping that been Jupiter's entire existence until Caine Wise had dropped into it, guns blazing and boots glowing.

But Jupiter wasn't going to reform the galaxy with just an impassioned speech and an earnest look. It would be exhausting to try to change everyone's mind that way.

"Dinner was great. Really, it was perfect. Thank you for putting it together." she assured Remmae

Nothing else seemed forthcoming after a long moment so Remmae dipped a curtsy and turned to exit when she was halted by her Queen.

"Would it be possible to have all my meals out there?" Jupiter asked.

"Certainly, your majesty." Remmae tried to leave it at that but it just wouldn't do. Giving less than her best was simply incompatible with her programming. "Though i should mention the Eastern terrace looks over a rather impressive fountain that casts many rainbows in the early light."

Jupiter smiled, pleased this young woman- droid- wasn't hopelessly cowed by an Entitled's outrage. If she could convince Remmae the android was allowed to stand up for itself, the AI could be a helpful ally.

"Breakfast on the eastern terrace sounds like paradise." she answered.

Remmae smiled and turned away once more. As she left a "thank you" drifted back from behind and the android cocked its head wonderingly as it walked.

This new Queen was a strange one. She seemed very singular, quite unique. Granted, Remmae had been out of the 'flow' of the gyre for a while but Entitled lived for eons! A couple centuries was not enough to change an entire demographic that much.

No, this one was special.


End file.
